AMERICAN ROMANTICISM AND THE LITERARY CONTRIBUTION OF JAMES FENIMORE COOPER

This article examines the main features of American Romanticism and their reflection in the works of James Fenimore Cooper, particularly in The Last of the Mohicans and The Leatherstocking Tales. The study analyzes Romantic elements such as individualism, nature, symbolism, imagination, the frontier, and the Romantic hero, showing how they shaped Cooper‘s literary style and contributed to the development of American national literature. Using qualitative literary analysis and comparative methods, the research demonstrates that nature in Cooper‘s works functions as a symbolic and moral force, while Natty Bumppo represents the ideal Romantic hero who values independence and harmony with nature. The study also highlights the conflict between civilization and wilderness, concluding that Cooper played a significant role in forming a unique American literary identity through the combination of national themes and Romantic ideals.